Master of my Heart
by ZanarkandRose
Summary: Love has a strange way of working, and being alone for so long can make a girl feel strange. Is this the right decision, or is it a misunderstanding of longing for someone that reminds her so much of him? M Rated for safety...
1. Chapter 1

_**Authors Note: I know this is a very rare pairing, but it came to me when I saw how upset Riku got knowing that the King had kept Aqua's location a secret from everyone for 3 years. The way he shouted that they could have gone and rescued her, that was it for me. My ship was born. Riku is 18 in my fanfiction, even though their ages haven't been confirmed since KH2, but I just assumed that after the way these events transpired in the KH universe, theres no way Riku is still 16, let alone 17. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this story!  
**_

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CH. 1

"You and me! We're going to go save Aqua!" the King exclaimed proudly.

It came after I heard the story of what happened to the other Keyblade Masters, the ones who visited the islands when Sora and I were just kids. The first one, I remember that his name was Terra. I knew he wasn't from our world, because I had never seen him before, and the only way to get to that island was by boat. He came up to me, and kneeled, smiling, and asked if I could keep a secret. That's when I first laid eyes on the keyblade. Terra had performed the "ritual", and I was given the power to wield the keyblade one day, should my heart be worthy.

Once he left, he set fire ablaze within my heart. I wanted to visit other worlds too, I wanted to get off the islands and see what was out there. It was only hours later, that another other worlder found her way to our little island, and introduced herself as Aqua. She had asked Sora to keep me safe and on the right path…Sora agreed, happily saying that I was his best friend, and that he'd always be there for me… If I had only remembered Sora's promise, I never would have given in to the darkness, and I would have never betrayed him.

"Count me in!" I nodded in excitement.

I learned that Aqua had sacrificed herself not once, but twice. Her first sacrifice came was when she had to save Terra. Both she and he were falling into the darkness, and she managed to set Terra free, letting herself be imprisoned. The second time…was to save me. I had to admit, I was pretty upset with King Mickey; How he kept her location and sacrifice a secret from us for so long. I was 15 when we closed the door to Kingdom Hearts, and I'm now 18. How long had she been trapped in the darkness, wandering those dark pathways, all alone without a single soul to talk to? It irritated me, knowing that a person got hurt trying to help me, and if only I would have known she was there, I would have searched for her… I would have tried my best to help her.

I may not have been strong enough back then, but I could have at least tried to pay back the debt I owed her. But now, I'm stronger than I was when I was 15, I can go and save her. I've developed an immunity to darkness, and I have earned the title of Master, so I know that I won't be a burden on her. I can't remember her too well, other than the fact that she had blue hair and was also a Master of the Keyblade.

"Before you leave, the Three Good Fairies ask that you both be given new garments to help combat the darkness." Yen Sid summoned two cases and handed them over to the King and I.

"Thank you Master!" I bowed. I was anxious to leave. I wanted to hurry and save the woman who saved me. I couldn't wait around for Sora to show up, I figured he was probably napping somewhere again," Give Sora my farewell."

"Of course. Do be safe Riku…Mickey."

We both nodded, and walked out of the large doorway, and down the many flights of stairs. "So how are we getting there?" I asked as we left the tower.

Mickey looked towards the edge of the tower, as a train appeared and came to a stop just ahead of us, "We'll need to head to Twilight Town first. I can sense a strong darkness growing there."

I stayed quiet, and I focused with my heart, a sour smell came into my nostrils, "You're right…" That horrible smell, is one that I can never forget. That sour stench of darkness… it made my stomach churn.

"Once we find the problem, we can open a portal that should lead us into the realm of darkness, and put us one step closer to saving Aqua." Mickey confidently stepped inside the train, as I followed close behind.

"So, what kind of garments to you think these are?" I opened the clasps, once I found a seat.

"Well, it might be a good idea to change now, since we don't know what we can expect in Twilight Town" Mickey smiled as he opened his own.

I nodded, and excused myself as I went to find somewhere to change. I found a small bathroom and opened my case. I pulled out a pair of pants that looked like the ones I wore now, but they were less baggy and fit much better. I could sense a strong magic coming off them. The top I was given, was a white muscle tank, and a black short sleeved hoodie was at the bottom. As I changed, I noticed the sour stench that waded in the air, suddenly disappeared, even though I could still sense it. I returned to my seat, as I waited for the King.

"These clothes sure are something!" He smiled, as he zipped his own jacket shut. His clothes were practically the same design and color, but they also contained a strong magic.

We arrived in Twilight Town a few moments later, the station empty and quiet. I had a feeling of uneasiness wash over me, and I looked towards the King, "Something seems off…" and the first face I saw was that of a brunette girl, looking panicked.

"Excuse me, is something wrong?" I asked.

"Oh!" she exclaimed," You've got to help me! My friends were attacked by some weird creatures near the woods!"

I looked at Mickey, who nodded in agreement, "Heartless! Which way?"

"Follow me!" she ran ahead.

I could smell the darkness just ahead of us, but it wasn't as strong as the first whiff I got back at the Tower. The girl suddenly stopped, and shook her head, as more heartless popped up in front of us, stopping us in our tracks.

"Oh no! There are more of them!" she began to back away, her body shivering in fear. Just beyond the shadows, two bodies lay motionless, the heartless beginning to move towards us.

I ran in front of her, "Stay back!" I summoned my keyblade, as the king summoned his, "We'll take care of them!"

The heartless, though dying with ease, were strong in numbers. I must have killed at least 40 by now, but there didn't seem to be an end. With every slain shadow, arose a new one, which became stronger than the last. I grunted as one of its claws sliced my arm. The cut was deep, and I could feel the blood trickling down.

"Riku!" Mickey shouted as his cure magic flowed over me, the bleeding coming to a halt.

"Thanks!" I shouted over my shoulder, "There's got to be a way to stop them!"

Suddenly, the brunette we had been protecting screamed, "Over there! She pointed to the roof of a building, "They're coming from that portal!"

I quickly fixed my gaze, to where she pointed and saw the dark portal spewing out the heartless. She was very observant because even I didn't notice it, "Mickey we've got to close it!" I swung my blade, slicing a heartless in half as it charged for the girl.

"Right! Stay here with Olette, I'll close it!" Mickey shouted as he leapt up ledges to reach the portal, bashing heartless' heads in along the way.

Olette… I hesitated as I pondered the girls name. It sounded so familiar, but I couldn't focus too long as Neo Shadows began to manifest alongside the shadows. "Mickey, how's it going?!" I began to worry, as these heartless were relentless with their attacks, and they were beginning to push me and the girl back against the wall. She grabbed hold of my jacket, and looked up at me, her green eyes glistening with tears. I smiled a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you or your friends."

"Just a second Riku! I've almost got it shut!" The king pointed his key at the portal, a bright shining beam shot out from it, piercing the darkness. It began to shrink as less heartless crawled out, and with a small puff of black smoke, it was gone. All that was left were a few neo shadows, scrambling around in a panic, their source of power gone. With ease, I managed to destroy the last few that were remaining, as I wiped the sweat from my brow.

"Hayner! Pence!" the girl shouted as she ran over to her friends.

That's when their names hit me, they were the ones that Ansem the Wise digitally copied for a fake world, meant to tame Roxas. A tinge of guilt washed over me, but I shook my head and ran over to her and her friends.

"Oh please you two, wake up!" she shook them hard.

I kneeled down beside her, and I sighed, "They're going to be alright. I think they just fainted, but their hearts are still there."

Olette looked at me, and smiled, "Thank goodness. I don't know what I would have done if you and the King hadn't shown up when you did."

She knew Mickey? I pondered for a second, but my thoughts were interrupted by the two boys who were now just beginning to stir.

"Ugh… what happened" the boy with green camo pants asked, his head in his hands.

"All I know is…my head is killing me" the one with a red jersey groaned.

"I'm so glad that you're both okay! If it hadn't been for King Mickey and his friend, you'd both be goners." Olette joked as she threw her arms around them both, giving them a group hug.

"It's good to see you again, your majesty." The camo pants smiled, as he stood up. He looked over at me, and raised a brow. He then smiled, "Hey, nice to meet you. My name is Hayner."

"My name is Pence. Sorry we met under these circumstances… I should practice on becoming stronger." He chuckled.

"And my name is Olette. Thank you so much for saving my friends and I."

I smiled, glad to have met the real persons, "It's nice to meet you all too. My name is Riku."

"What brought you here Mickey?" asked Olette.

"Well, we could sense a strong darkness radiating from here… but whatever it was, it's gone now."

"We were actually on our way to check out some strange noises coming from that house in the woods… that's when those things attacked us." Hayner glanced over his shoulder.

"I think its best if Riku and I check things out from here… You three should go back home until everything is safe." The King furrowed his brows.

"No way your majesty!" Pence shook his head, "We took Sora there once before, so we'll be happy to escort you there too."

"That's right. Plus, that was the first time that anything weird has shown up in our town… there haven't been any of those weird white creatures here either in 2 years." Hayner agreed.

"Well…" Mickey hesitated, "Okay, just stay close."

We made our way to the house, the two boys leading up ahead, as Olette stayed beside me. "So, I take it your friends with Sora?" she asked.

I nodded, "Yep, he's my best friend."

"Oh, so then you must know Kairi!" she grinned, "How is she doing? I really miss her."

"Kairi is doing really good. She's in training now to become a keyblade wielder, like Mickey, Sora and myself."

"Wow… I always knew she was strong. I hope I can see her again one day."

"After we finish our mission, I'll be sure to tell Kairi to come and visit you." I smiled, as her eyes lit up.

"Here we are!" Hayner announced.

The house was very dilapidated, the grass surrounding the area was tall, yellow and dry. Bottles of alcohol were tossed alongside the broken gate, and the windows were all shattered. "This place still gives me the creeps." Pence shuddered.

"I think its best if Riku and I go in alone. We don't know what we can expect in there." Mickey offered out his hand.

"Right. It was nice seeing you again your majesty, and it was nice meeting you Riku." Hayner shook the kings hand.

They waved goodbye, as Mickey and I stepped inside the mansion. The inside wasn't any better than its outside appearance. But right in the middle of the room, was a portal that was slowly rotating, the darkness that was emitting from it seemed to be rushing back in," That must be it!" I shouted.

"It looks like we got here just in time Riku! It's getting ready to close, you ready?" he glanced up at me, the determination in his eyes were shining bright, and I nodded," Yeah, let's go!"

We stepped into the portal and into the realm of darkness, the light behind us faded into the abyss, and my nostrils were filled with that awful stench once more. It was quiet, empty and lonely, there was no direct path to take. I turned towards Mickey," Do you know where we need to go?"

Mickey shook his head, a look of hesitation flashed upon his face," Not exactly, but the last time I met Aqua here… I just felt a strong light. I followed it, and that's when I found her. I know that we'll find her!" He summoned his keyblade, as he proudly walked ahead.

I sighed and smiled," Yeah. We will…" I closed my eyes and looked upwards towards a dark never ending sky," May your heart be your guiding key…" I muttered the words Yen Sid taught us and followed the King into the unknown realm...

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 _ **Authors note: Soo that was chapter one! I hope it was decent 0.0 I may change writing formats from first to third depending on the characters POV. When the story is told through Rikus eyes, it will be in first person. If this becomes or sounds confusing, let me know in your reviews and I'll change it up! Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for chapter 2!**_


	2. Chapter 2

CH. 2

Aqua glanced up at the masked man who sat beside her, the waves of the dark ocean gently crashing against the shore. He had been silent for quite some time now, and she was becoming anxious. How many minutes, days or even years passed by, as she sat there on the beach? She sighed and wondered, as she hugged her knees closer to her chest.

The days and nights here in this never-ending chasm of darkness, began to blend together. Time forever standing still, a reminder that darkness destroys everything. The slow rolling waves gently crashed along the shore, the tide was rising. The worlds haven't fallen to darkness, and to a young girls surprise, the dark world seemed rather quiet. She glanced upwards at the hooded figure sitting on the boulder, his unseen face gazing outwards at the dark sea. He turned to look at her, and she quickly averted her gaze, unsure of how she felt about the stranger. He was quiet, and barely conversed with her at all, leaving her to her own thoughts. She knew he couldn't have been anyone dangerous, or he would have attacked her already. Plus, she considered how he had given her happy news of a boy named, Sora. A young boy, who wielded a strange shaped blade was saving the worlds from falling to darkness.

"Are you ever going to give me your name, young lady?" the hooded man asked.

The question caught her off guard, bringing her back into the reality she'd come to known for what seemed like an eternity," Oh, forgive me, how rude." She smiled," My name is Aqua."

"Aqua." He nodded," It's nice to meet you." A smile in his voice.

"May I know yours?" she asked.

"Ah, I'm terribly sorry, but I can't remember. Why, I can't even recall how I ended up here." He chuckled. He hung his dead down slightly.

Aqua frowned," Oh…" She turned her gaze back to the sea," I don't even know how long I've been here either. It feels like an eternity"

"Yes… the lack of times existence in this place…can leave one feeling debilitated."

The two fell into a hushed silence, the waves becoming deafening one second, and suddenly silent. A void seeming to throw off the balance of that area, Aqua slowly stood up, unsure of what to make of the situation. The man beside her began to look around, also trying to find the source of the disturbance, unaware of the footsteps right behind them. "Ah, so I did sense you." A deep voiced cooed. It sent chills up Aquas spine, causing her to spin around and face whoever called her.

"T-Terra?" she called. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart, as she saw his appearance shift. His brown locks becoming a pale white, his bright blue eyes turning golden, and his skin a light caramel color. "No… who are you?" she called, her eyes narrowing in anger.

"You mean you haven't figured it out?" he smiled. He took a step forward, as Aqua grunted and quickly summoned her keyblade.

"It can't be… Xemnas?" the hooded man called out.

"Hm?" he turned, "Ah, it's you. So this is where that explosion sent you to. Yes, I once went by that name. But I am whole once more."

"The machine… it turned you all back to humans?" The man pondered quickly, shaking his head as his memories came flying back.

"Yes. After you and that meddlesome King destroyed my Kingdom Hearts –"

" What?" Aqua looked at them both

"The hearts we had obtained were released back to the world. Some never made it home, as some hearts fell prey to heartless once more, but...some made it home." He grinned, turning his gaze back to Aqua. "I am one of the many Xehanort vessels that exist."

"Xehanort…vessel?" Aqua shook her head," What are you talking about?"

"I suppose you're quite behind on what's been happening in the realm of light… but for quite some time now… I've felt this need to talk to the person who this armor belongs to." He tossed the helmet towards her feet. "Looking at this, and now setting my gaze upon you. It sets my heart on fire. It brings me sensations of guilt and sadness." He stepped closer," I suppose this is because you and Terra were quite close. Perhaps… if I destroy you it'll finally put an end to this feeling."

He pulled two blades, shimmering red with lust for destruction and blood. He charged for her, moving quickly, he leapt into the air to bring his blades down upon her head.

"Look out!" the old man screamed pushing Aqua out of the way just as the blades slammed into his backside, the dirt flying up from the forceful impact.

"No!" Aqua screamed, as she looked at the old man's limp body.

"Hmph. Foolish old man." Xemnas turned his gaze back to Aqua, as he charged once more. Aqua grunted as she quickly rolled out of the way of his swing, and sprung up, her blade spinning in a ferocious circle. Xemnas brought his blades up, defensively blocking each of her spin attacks. She pulled away, and launched a fireball," Firaja!"

He grunted as the huge explosion sent him sliding backwards, a barrier had surrounded him just in time. He charged once more, his blades growing longer as they swiped at her, nicking her clothes and cutting her skin. Beams of red light would charge at her, small projectiles his weapons created were keeping her barrier spell up longer than she wanted, Xemnas moving closer. She saw an opening, and lunged for him; Xemnas vanished.

"What?"

"Too slow." He called out, she turned and was once more caught in his grasp, his powerful hand clasped tight around her neck. He grinned," Ah this feels familiar. Only this time around, I have more control over that fool Terra." His grasp tightened," Now, its time to put an end to you."

Aqua dug her nails into his forearm, drawing blood, but it didn't loosen his grasp. In a panic, Aqua kicked him off, dropping her onto the floor, leaving her choking and gasping for air. "You look so tired Aqua… why not sleep?" He grinned as he moved over her, she tried to kick once more, but his hand caught her leg," No kicking" He lifted her up by her leg and squeezed tightly, causing her to scream in agony as she felt her bone crack. He dropped her once more, as he crawled on top of her. Both knees on around her shoulders, as he brought both hands around her neck. "Your leg snapped quite easily. I wonder how quickly it'll take before I crush your neck…" He squeezed, Aquas limp hands clawing at him. "T….er…. ra" she squeaked.

Xemas smiled," Breaking your neck seems too easy… Perhaps strangulation would be even more pleasurable."

He continued to put pressure on her neck, her vision was going blurry, was this how she would die? She tried to dig her one leg into the dirt, to wiggle out of his grasp, but it was impossible. She gazed up into his golden eyes, tears streaming down her face. Xemnas smiled a sick and sweet smile, he brought his face close to hers and pressed his lips against hers.

Aqua couldn't even fight back, as his lips were pressed so softly on her own, a sad farewell kiss of death.

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 _ **A/N: Im so sorry for the super short chapter after such a long haitus. But don't you worry, Im working on chapter 3 right this second! Stay tuned!  
**_


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I've been on a long hiatus, I apologize. I finally managed to get a new laptop, and transferred all my fics in the work over to this one. I refuse to watch the trailer for the *spoiler* Aquanort cutscene, but from what I gathered from screenshots that I couldn't avoid... she becomes possessed. Now I had originally worked on chapter 3, but I wanted to change it now that I see what happens, and honestly, I feel this chapter worked out SOOOO much better than the previous one. Anyway, please enjoy. I'll try to be more consistent with updates. Thank you for reading.**

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CH.3

Xemnas' eyes bore into her own, his gaze casting a spell on her. Aqua felt herself growing sleepy, as she tried to fight against his weight. "Get…off of me…" She gasped, his hands still clasped tightly around her neck. She dug her nails into his flesh, his blood pouring down her hands, but all she was met with was a dark chuckle, and a blank empty stare. "Join me Aqua…"

Terra's voice filled her ears," Join me." She began to lose her strength, her hands slowly dropping from his forearms; asleep in a whole new world of darkness.

I sighed," Do you think we're lost Mickey?"

We'd been in the dark realm for quite some time, but we both had no idea where we were, or where we were going. Every path looked the same, it felt like a dizzying maze. I sat on a boulder, trying to gather my thoughts, while the King scratched his head.

"Well… I hate to say it, but I think we might be." He frowned," If only I knew where to go…"

"Well, how did you find her the last time?"

"I sensed her. I sensed a strong light, and I followed it. But… I can't sense any light. It's making me really worried…"

"Hey, don't worry. I'm sure we will find her. We just have to keep looking," I stood," Come on, lets try this way."

Mickey nodded, as he followed me down a path that strangely seemed familiar. As we continued, it seemed like everything began to change, the environment becoming slightly familiar. Large stalagmites, dangerously sharp stalactites hung from the top of the cave we entered, "Looks like we might be going the right way. Some of this looks familiar…" I said out loud.

"Yeah, it does. We gotta be getting closer to where I last saw her! We better hurry!"

I could smell salt water in the air," It's the beach. That's where Sora and I ended up after we defeated Xemnas. Maybe that's where she is!" But something stopped me in my tracks.

"Riku?"

There was another scent in the air… that stench!

"Riku? You okay?" Mickey asked.

I felt my heart twist, and I before I knew it, I was running. It was Xehanort's smell… that disgusting sour stench of darkness and death. "Wait up Riku!" Mickey cried out, as he tried to keep up with me. The smell was strong, but something was still wrong. There was another scent mixed in with his, it smelled… clean, pure.

I heard Mickey gasp," There she is Riku! Aqua!" he screamed.

I smiled a bit, seeing her standing off in the distance. The dark waves crashing along the shore, the tall slender woman staring out towards the sea. We found her!

"Aqua!" Mickey cried out," I'm back! We came back for you! I'm so sorry I didn't come back sooner, but I'm so glad to see you're okay!"

But, she remained staring out towards the sea… there was something… off about her. Then… she turned.

"Mickey…"

I felt the shift around me… This wasn't Aqua. I summoned my keyblade, as Mickey turned towards me," Riku, what are you doing?!"

"Mickey… you're too late." She turned around completely, her hair had turned silver, and her eyes… they were that unmistakable golden color… Xehanort.

"Aqua… no…" Mickey clenched his fists… "I'm… too late…"

"It took a lot of power, taking over this new vessel… The girl put up a very nice fight, but those cracks in her heart… left her open to my influence." She laughed," What's the matter your majesty? Did you really think you could save me? You… only left me down here for another 4 years… right? Is that you Riku?" she laughed.

"We… can still save her Mickey."

"No, I didn't mean to leave you down here Aqua! I… I wasn't sure how to come back and bring us both back home…" He shook his head," If I knew how, I would have come back much sooner!"

"What a bunch of lies. You left me down here to rot. All my days and nights, blending together… How long did you think I could last?" She summoned her keyblade," I'll make you pay!" she lunged forward, and vanished.

Mickey summoned his blade, but it was a second too late. Aqua swung her blade against his back, sending him flying towards the water.

"Don't hold back boys." She taunted us.

I gritted my teeth," Damn Xehanort!" I launched a fireball towards her, but it just deflected off a barrier," I'll deal with you in a second boy." She cast a spell, and I felt my entire body stiffen. A binding spell! I tried my best to fight back, but this magic… Mickey and Yen Sid did mention that she was an incredibly strong and talented mage. No wonder Xehanort wanted her as a vessel… I struggled to break free, as I saw her make her way towards Mickey.

"Can't you fight me Mickey? Can't you put a poor girl out of her misery?" she laughed, as she swung her blade once more, the back of the blade slapping Mickey across the face and sending him tumbling backwards. The ocean waves becoming larger, washing over Mickey.

"Aqua…" he looked up at her," I'm so sorry. I never meant to leave you down here for so long… I wanted to come back, but I couldn't… but I'm here now. And Riku and I are going to set you free!"

Aqua laughed once more, as she raised her blade," Die!"

"No!" I called out, but it was no use.

"Stopza!" he screamed.

Aqua slowly froze into place. Mickey ran over to me, undoing her spell on me.

"We have to hurry. Aqua is strong in the magical elements. I can only hold her for so long!"

"Right! So what's our plan?"

"Stopza!" Mickey cast another spell," I… I'm not too sure."

That's when it hit me… "I can set the darkness free from her heart!"

"Huh?"

"I did the same thing when Sora almost fell to the darkness. I dove into his heart, and defeated the darkness that was keeping him asleep! I bet, if you can do your best to keep her asleep, I can dive in."

"Riku! Are you sure? If she wakes up before you're out, you'll be trapped forever!"

I nodded," I'm sure. I can do this."

He nodded," Okay. Its up to you Riku!" The stop spell had just worn off, and she blinked, as she turned to find her opponent again.

"Stop that!" she growled, and charged for us both.

"Sleepjara!" Mickey screamed.

Aqua felt her legs give way, her eye lids becoming heavy," No!" she still came towards us, fighting his spell. "Sleepjara!" he screamed again.

Finally she collapsed before us both, and I turned to look at him," Its up to you, your Highness!"

I sighed, as I felt myself leave my body, and I dove into her heart.

As I dove, I could see memories all around. I could sense immense power coming from her, but the memories… were so full of pain. I wish I had the time to stop and learn more about her from this dive, but I had no time to lose. I urged myself to dive faster, the outline of her hearts core made its way into view. I slowed my descent, and saw her unconscious body laying there.

"Aqua!" I ran over, when the possessed version of her emerged," Get out. I took over this girls heart. She belongs to ME now!" Xehanorts voice rang out, his golden eyes shining bright.

"No. I'm not going anywhere."

I charged forward, my keyblade becoming engulfed in dark flames. I swung, but he managed to dodge. He laughed, and copies of himself surrounded me.

I smirked, and vanished," You're not going to stop me Xehanort! I'll force you out of her heart!" I emerged every second from small dark portals, sliding forward from each one with my blade extended. The copies, vanished, and I ended my triage with a large dark fireball.

"Damn boy. I nearly forgot that you've become immune to the darkness."

"That's right. I'm not leaving her this time. I'll make sure you can never come back!"

The form he had taken of Aqua faded, and he revealed himself, the same jerk that Sora and I fought so hard to defeat. He charged forward, his blades extended with razor like wire streaming forth. He brought his blades down on to mine, the extreme force of his attack cracked her heart.

I grunted with fear.

Xehanort smiled," Careful. If this platform for the heart shatters… she will be nothing more than an empty shell. Doomed to wander in darkness for all eternity. No freedom… not ever. You can't repair a completely damaged heart!" He pulled away, and slammed his blade into the glass; crack!

"Tch, stop!" I jumped into the air, and lunged forward. Xehanort smiled, as he slammed his blade towards me.

My blade entered through his backside, my dark powers had gifted me with many teleporting abilities. As I slowly pulled my blade back, I stopped. It was still inside his body,"Firaja" I said, as the flame went off inside his body, leaving a large gaping hole.

He collapsed, his body slowly disintegrating," Damn… you."

"Get out of her heart." I stood over him.

He smiled," This was only… my influence boy. Her heart is damaged, and I still wander about in the realm of light. You'll let your guard down… and when you do… her body will be my vess-" I cut him off, as I jabbed my keyblade through his head. His body completely vanished, her heart began to gain color.

I watched as the last of his ashes faded, the battle seemed far too easy. He had another plan for us, but I knew that staying in her heart, in the dark realm wasn't a good idea. We had to go, and we had to go now. As I made my way towards her, I noticed that the cracks were deep, but I had no idea how to fix that. I scooped up her body, and dove once more.

"Come on Riku… I don't think I can hold it much longer!"

"Its okay Mickey. I'm back." I smiled, as I walked over.

"You're back!" he grinned.

"He's gone, for now. We've got to hurry and get her out of here. He'll be back…" I lifted her gently. I opened a portal and made my way towards it.

A weak hand dug into my chest, and I gazed down. She looked up at me, her eyes a beautiful sapphire," W…wait…"

"Save your strength, don't try to talk." I reassured her.

"N… no. We can't… leave him either."

"Who?" I asked.

She weakly pointed to a bunch of rocks. I couldn't see anything," There's nothing…" I saw him. Laying there, motionless. A hooded figure. "Mickey." I nodded towards him.

He nodded back," Right." He ran over, and gently pulled the hood back. He let out a loud gasp," ANSEM?!"

"Ansem!?" I cried out.

"I thought… I thought he died!" Mickey placed his ear on his chest," He's alive! But his breathing is weak..."

"You're going to have to manage Mickey." I opened a portal closer to him.

"Right! Up we go pal!" Mickey grunted as he threw the old man onto his back and inched his way to the portal, Ansems legs dragging behind. I waited patiently until he was fully inside the portal. I gazed back down at the woman in my arms. She looked up at me, her blue eyes shimmering with tears, "Thank you." She gave me a weak smile, and fainted.

I made myself a promise. I would keep her safe… no matter what.

I followed behind Mickey, making sure the portal closed behind me with each step I took forward.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, please leave a review. They mean a lot to me. :) 3  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Hello everyone. I'm back, and I am so sorry for leaving everyone hanging. I encountered quite A LOT of problems with my laptops, and I almost lost all my stories. I have been working on some stories, and will do my best to keep posting. I want to thank everyone who stayed following my story(ies), your support means a lot to me. So without further adieu, please enjoy the story.**

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 **CH. 4**

Aqua felt so light in my arms as I carried her through the portal. I noticed her body temperature was falling, and her breathing was becoming shallow. She must have been severely wounded in that battle with Xemnas... Xehanort... I glanced over at Mickey and Ansem, who didn't look too good either. I quickened my step," Come on Mickey, we've gotta hurry. The opening is just up ahead!" I knew he was doing his best, but Aqua landed a heavy hit to Mickey, I knew he was hurting too.

I could see the light up ahead,"There it is!"

"Master!" I called out, hoping he would sense we needed help.

As soon as we stepped out of the portal, he was waiting with a powerful healing spell. I sighed, tired and worried about everyone in my party. I felt Aqua's body temperature slowing returning, and her breathing became more stabilized. I sighed, I could feel my own wounds slowly feeling better. I glanced down at Mickey and Ansem, who both looked like they were doing much better.

Aqua let out a small cough, as she slowly opened her eyes. I set her down on the ground, "Master Aqua, are you ok?"

"What?" she tried to open her eyes, but the sudden brightness of the light burned her eyes, it felt like acid. She let out a painful cry, and quickly covered her eyes,"What's going on?"

Yen Sid called out,"Flora, Fauna, Merryweather!"

The three fairies came flying down the hallway,"You're eyes have been damaged by the darkness dear," Flora pulled out a dark cloth out of a box the other two were carrying.

She gently wrapped it around her eyes," There, this will help you see while your eyes and body heal."

Aqua looked up, and they were right. She could see clearly, but the light was somehow being filtered through.

I recognized that cloth. I wore the same kind when I was trying to overcome the darkness in my heart.

"Light? You mean... I-" she let out a soft chuckle," I'm back?"

I smiled softly,"Yes, you're home."

She smiled, and I could see tears falling down her cheeks. She felt so relieved to finally be home, no longer trapped in a world she didn't belong.

"How is Ansem?" asked Aqua.

Mickey shook his head," He won't wake up..."

Aqua lowered her head," He... took the first hit for me. He saved me. Please tell me that he'll be OK, Master..."

"He may survive, however he is in need of critical medical care. Merlin and myself will oversee that he recovers fully. And that goes for you as well, Master Aqua."

She looked down," But... I can't rest... Ven, he needs me."

"You will not be helping anyone by being so weak. You need time to recover your strength, and giving your eyes a chance to readjust to the realm of light." Yen Sid pulled out a star shaped object.

"Ladies, will you see them to Merlin's infirmary?" Yen Sid sat back down into his chair, as the Three Fairies smiled and used the star to take Aqua and Ansem to Radiant Garden.

"Riku, Mickey. Please inform me of what you two saw down there."

Aqua sat down in the hospital bed, her leg was still fractured, and there were deep purple marks around her neck, where Xemnas was strangling her. A girl with long brown hair, tied in a high pony tail wrapped a bandage around her neck.

"You must have been through quite a lot Master Aqua." she smiled," I'm sorry. My name is Aerith. I work with Merlin here in his hospital."

"I see, its nice to meet you Aerith."

"Likewise," she let out a soft laugh. She continued to tie the bandage around her neck," These bruises might take some time to go away. I know that it may be painful, but try and massage them. It'll help the marks fade faster. As for your leg, it can be healed with magic, but it may still feel a tad stiff. It will feel normal the more you move around."

"How is he?" asked Aqua.

"You must mean Ansem the Wise." she sighed,"He is not doing to well. That blow he took from Xemnas must have been too much for him to handle. He suffered several broken vertebra, and his upper ribs were broken as well. I'm afraid magic won't help in his case. We just need to keep hope, and do our best by the surgeons."

"Oh..."

"Ah, forgive me. I didn't mean to upset you."

Aqua shook her head," No, thank you for telling me the truth. He got hurt because he protected me. I need to get better, I need to do my share to help everyone!"

Aerith smiled," You will. For now, please get some rest."

Aqua nodded, she failed to realize how tired she was. Her body felt warm and heavy, her eyelids slowly closing. She smiled as she fell asleep," Please, wait for me, Terra... Ven."

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 **Sorry if that chapter was short! I promise that they will get longer the further the story goes on. I'm also using two different story telling styles out, im unsure how I like using Rikus POV mixed in with 3rd person. Should I stick with this method, or use only one? Personally, I like it but I guess it can be confusing haha thanks for reading, and stay tuned!**


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